“Art and Food of Italy” is a cultural international association with the aim of promoting the art of Italian gastronomy and culture around the world. We share common interests in the field of cultural tourism and gastronomy for the preservation and promotion of Italian art, traditions and food.

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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Tuscan cabbage is a versatile
vegetable that can be used in soups, salads or as a side dish. Also known as
cavolo nero, this Italian cabbage has long, narrow, wrinkled, very dark green
leaves and a mild flavour. It's a source of vitamin C and provides folate, beta
carotene and dietary fibre. Cabbage soup is surely one of the most famous Italian
vegetables soup, whose two basic ingredients are typical of Tuscany: bread and
cabbage.

Fry lightly in olive oil some onion, celery and
carrot, all finely chopped. When the onion wilts, add a coarsley shredded cabbage; when also the
cabbage gets tender, add 2 potatoes and 4 or 5 courgettes cut into cubes. As soon
as also these vegetables become soft, add 1 cup of tomato sauce, mix to blend
it with all the ingredients, then add 2 bunches of swiss-card (about 1 pound) 2
of red cabbage and the beans.
Leave to cook slowly for at least 1 and a half hour. About 30 minutes before
the cooking time is over, add basil and thyme. In the
meanwhile slice some bread into a soup tureen, pour the hot soup onto and leave
to rest until the following day. Before serving put the lot again on the flame
and leave it to simmer for 10 to 15
minutes.

Monday, September 24, 2012

The sights, sounds and
smells of fall stir the soul, but delight is mixed with melancholy. Autumn can
mean a sort of sadness which is not entirely
unwelcome; a sort of sober, slowing-down of the spirit, leaving us much given
to reflection. Indeed for anyone capable of looking up from their screen, for anyone in the slightest way alive to the
rhythms of the natural world and its sights and sounds and smells, autumn has a
peculiar personality of its own which is powerfully attractive. This is a
season brimming with the highest level gastronomy, amidst the colours of the
grape harvest and noble flavours.Mushrooms,
truffles and chestnuts: the fruits of Autumn are venerated and special, like
all Italian recipes which exploit abundant quality. I’ll give youa fantasticsurf and turf recipe
that combines the rich flavors of prawns and mushrooms.

Prawn and Porcini Risotto

Servings 4

¼ oz langoustines, medium

⅝ lb Carnaroli rice

3 ½ oz Porcini Mushrooms

1 ¾ oz onion

½ teaspoon garlic, chopped

6 cups fish broth

¾ oz butter

3 ½ tablespoons white wine

¼ cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

30 minutes preparation + 16
minutes cooking

Clean the prawns and
separate the heads from the tails. Use a pairing knife to make an incision on
the underside of the belly and use your finger to remove the meat, placing it
in a bowl. Use the heads to make a fumet (a reduced broth), using about 6 cups
of water and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for at least
20 minutes. Then keep warm.

Clean the mushrooms by
cutting off the tips of the stems and wash, if necessary, with a wet dishcloth.
Then cut into thin slices.

Place a pot over medium
heat. Add oil, and once it is hot, add crushed garlic. Do not let it brown.
Once slightly golden, add the prawn meat and mushrooms.

Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes or until it becomes transparent.
Then add the wine and, once almost all of it has evaporated, add a couple
ladlefuls of boiling, filtered fumet. Lower the heat and continue to add fumet,
a ladleful at a time, as it is absorbed by the rice.

After about 12 minutes, add
washed, chopped arugula. After 5 more minutes, adjust the salt and pepper.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter and cognac.

Before serving, check to
see if the risotto is too dry. If so, add more fumet or hot water. Stir and
serve immediately.